Consumers seek more information on rights |16 March 2013

Consumers had different complaints ranging from poor services, faulty goods, overcharging and cases where shopkeepers keep change unless consumers ask for it.

The executive chairperson of Natcof (National Consumers Forum) Raymonde Course said the number of consumers who turned up was really overwhelming.

“Today (yesterday) has been an opportunity for Natcof to better understand difficulties consumers face, where deceitful merchants are taking advantage of confused consumers,” said Mrs Course.

She further noted that a lot more consumer education is needed to address the situation.

“There is even proof that two consumers paid two different prices for the same good in the same shop with the merchant refusing to give out a receipt and preferred to give the aggrieved consumer a refund when cornered,” said Mrs Course.

She said the level of the problem is worrying and with the coming into force of the Value Added Tax (Vat) consumers are suffering more deceit as merchants capitalise on their confusion to overcharge them.

“People are asking for consumer justice and today (yesterday) has been proof that a lot needs to be done to help them,” said Mrs Course.